Chapter 3

The lift doors slid open on the 3rd floor at WP Publication and the two girls strolled out both engrossed in their conversation. It was a warm day and the air conditioning was not working again so Wes had got Harmony to block open the main doors and open all the windows so some semblance of breeze could penetrate the stuffy office.

Harmony was busy filing her nails, she had the telephone cupped on her shoulder and was detailing the inner secrets of some poor persons private life to whoever was on the other end. She always knew everything about everyone, which was useful if Buffy needed to know some inside info quickly, but not so useful when it was her life being scrutinized. Buffy tolerated her, but it was no secret that there was little love lost between the two blondes.

Technically Harmony was supposed to be in charge of the reception area, she was at best inept, at worst incompetent. Fortunately her duties were few and far between, her main job being just to look pretty and greet clients on their way in. Wes was soft with her, and she got away with murder, but no one could deny that when it came to meeting and greeting Harmony was fantastic. At high school she was a pretty girl, but she had grown into a beautiful woman. Her hair was long and blonde and cascaded down her back, her eyes sparkled and she had shed a few pounds. She was always dressed in this seasons fashions, a concept she tried to explain to Buffy, recommending that she let her give her a makeover once in a while, which Buffy always politely refused. She couldn't quite see herself coming to work like that, all cleavage and leg.

Harmony glanced up as Buffy walked over. "Yes sir, as I explained we won't accepted a full unsolicited novel, if you send a summary then we will get back to you?" Harmony covered, badly. "Harm what you talking about?" Cordelia answered, but Harmony had already hung up.

"So Harmony, any messages for me?" Buffy questioned, knowing full well that the blonde had probably been on the phone since she left the office, so the possibility of her answering another call were slim to non existent.

"No messages, sorry, guess nobody loves you" Harmony replied with a smirk.

"Some cute guy showed up though." The blonde continued

Faiths ears pricked up. She had been going through the mail in her pigeonhole, but replaced the papers and wandered over to Harmony's desk and perched on the corner.

"Come on Harm, spill, if we got ourselves a hot new author then we need the inside scoop, isn't that right B." Faith giggled with a wicked glint in her eye.

"What's this mystery guy like" Faith quizzed

 "Too cute for you pair, and anyway I saw him first, so hands off" she laughed

Buffy leaned in towards Harmony, "I am sure as your superior I get first refusal on any sexy guys that dare to walk through our door, isn't that right Faith?" Buffy whispered. Men were actually about the furthest thing from Buffy's mind and had been for a long time, but she couldn't help but tease Harmony, and she laughed to herself as she watched the younger blonde pout.

"Hey no fair", Harmony whined.

"He arrived just after you slackers disappeared off to plan your office revolution," she continued.

 "Wes collected him, they've been in his office ages." Harmony motioned towards Wesley's office.

 Buffy looked towards Wesley's office, the door was closed and the blinds drawn. This is strange Buffy worried. Wes's door was never closed, even when interviewing it was all done very informally, it was more of a friendly chat in fact. She didn't even know the blinds could be closed, she had wondered about trying it once, but thought they might have gotten stuck through lack of use so she didn't bother.

 "Wesley looked really pleased with himself, gave him a tour of the office and everything." Harmony began to apply a coat of red varnish to her newly filed nails.

"Oh and he's not an author either." Harmony added.

Buffy's attention fell back to Harmony's story.

"How do you know that?" Buffy questioned. Harmony could feel Buffy starting to seethe so she carried on with her story. "Well, he had a big folder with him, and I was over at the photocopier and I heard him say something about this place having potential, after a little restructuring, or something like that anyway, and they were all handshaky and big grins. Oh and Wes knew him, did I mention that, he was saying something about it being great to have him back again, or something along those lines. To be honest I was staring at his body, so I may have missed a bit."

The phone was ringing, in fact it had been ringing some time.

"Are you gonna get that Harm" Buffy snapped.

"Huh, oh yeah right, WP Publications, Harmony Sylvester speaking, how may I direct your call?"

"Ignore her B, she's just being a bitch, as usual," Faith said, "I'm sure its nothing to worry about," and with that Faith grabbed her mail and wandered over to her desk.

Buffy followed her less convinced, in her experience things people said was 'nothing to worry about' generally turned out to be a whole lot of worry.

As she sat down at her desk and arranged her papers her phone began to ring.

"Elizabeth Summers speaking," she said politely.

"Miss Summers could you join me in my office please," came the reply.

Buffy replaced the receiver and sighed, this was definitely something to worry about.